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Guys, that first workout is going to be hard. It just is. But it gets much easier.

For my first work out I knew I needed to start small. If I try and go run 26 miles on the first night I’m probably going to either give up or get picked up by an ambulance, neither of which is very encouraging. So I did a search on Pinterest for “beginner running”. I found this lovely pin that I am using as a guideline. This is a great guide for anyone like me who is starting from ground zero because it gives a VERY do-able starting point and works your way up over time using baby steps. However, you don’t have to follow it exactly, you can alter it based on what you think you are capable of, but remember to be realistic and go slow. You’re not going to be able to run an entire mile on the first day!

I decided to alter that first week one to make it a little more challenging, so for the first week I decided to walk fast 4 mins, + run 1 min, repeat 4x = 20 minute workout.

Before my run in some typical workout clothes. You do not need to wear spandex booty shorts and a sports bra to run!

Before I started my workout I did a few minutes of stretches to loosen up. Then I set my ipod for a fun song and I was out the door! I was doing ok until I got to the part where I had to run. Haha! After about thirty seconds of running, sure enough, I was breathing heavy and it was starting to hurt. I told myself I could do it for the full minute, so I did, but afterward I was still hurting. It’s crazy that running for just one minute can be so hard! I completed the work out but my running spurts were shorter after that first one. When I got home I was still breathing hard, my throat was burning, I was nauseous, and my legs felt like Jell-o. I stretched some more when I was done and the collapsed on the couch and drank a ton of water.

What I learned:

Stay Safe. For this run I was running after dark. At first I thought it would be cool to run through a nearby park, but as I turned off the main road to get to the park, the street was a lot darker than I thought it would be and for some reason I felt uneasy and unsafe. I turned around and went back to the main road and then I felt safe again. Listen to your instincts. If you ever feel unsafe where you are running, change your course and go somewhere safer. And for the record, parks after dark are probably not generally a safe place to run.

Pace Yourself. I think a big reason why it hurt so bad to run is because I tried to run faster than my body was ready to go. I need to remember to go very slow in the beginning. Baby steps.

Food: A few hours before my run I ate a Chimichanga from a local restaurant. I would NOT recommend eating this type of food before a run! I thought I was going to throw it all up by the time the run was over! Eat something light if you must, but not a Chimichanga.